By Judi Straughan
Fans of television mysteries, detective novels, sudoku and crossword puzzles will love Stephen Massicotte’s intriguing play, “The Clockmaker.”
The production is running for nine days at the Sudbury Theatre Centre, from March 21-30.
As the play opens, Henrich Mann, played by Richard Sheridan Willis, is being interrogated by Monsieur Pierre, played by Stephen Sparks. Has Mann committed a crime? Is he about to commit a crime? If so, what might that crime be?
As the story unfolds, the audience is whisked from scene to scene. Paying attention to small details, like the title of each scene, helps the audience solve the mystery.
Stephen Sparks, who is performing for the fifth time at STC, said the cast and director David Savoy are having fun in rehearsal putting all of the pieces together.
“I trust we have done our job well and that things will be clear to the audience,” Sparks said. “It’s the kind of show that audience members will want to talk about when the curtain comes down. And that is a good thing.”
Richard Sheridan Willis and Jessica Moss star in STC’s The Clockmaker. The play runs until March 30. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.
Sparks pays tribute to the brilliant script by Stephen Massicotte, whose trip to Sudbury from New York city coincides with the run of the play.
“This script is so smart,” said Sparks. “It is well honed with beautiful language and great dialogue. It’s a joy for all of us to be working on.”
The “all of us” includes not only Richard Sheridan Willis, who mesmerized audiences in STC’s “Vigil,” but also Jay Davis, lead actor from “The Full Monty,” and Jessica Moss, who last appeared on the STC stage in “Alice and Wonderland.”
“Richard is so specific in his work, so present,” Sparks said. “Jessica is a beautiful and vulnerable actor while Jay Davis is really creepy.”
Davis has the challenging job of portraying an abusive husband in this drama.
“My character, Monsieur Pierre, is a man of power,” Spark said. “In a way, the opening scene where he is interrogating Mann reminds me of going across any country’s border. We all get a bit intimidated when a government official holds us in the palm of his hand.
“Is Monsieur Pierre being nice just to set a trap for Mann? It’s really engaging for the audience.”
Even though everything is tidied up at the end of the play, Sparks stops short in case he gives something away.
“I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.”
The set design by Geofrey Dinwiddie is truly inspired. It depicts the inner workings of a clock with each pod on stage able to rotate like a clock’s inner workings.
“Everything about this play is finely tuned, from the script to the cast, directing, set, lighting and costume designs,” Sparks said.
Because The Clockmaker plays over Easter, the final weekend schedule has been adapted to include a show on Good Friday, two on Easter Saturday and none on Easter Sunday.
Tickets may be purchased online. For further information call the Sudbury Theatre Centre at 705-674-8381.
Judi Straughan is the education co-ordinator at Sudbury Theatre Centre.
